On Aug 18, 10:03*am, Dave Smith wrote:
James Silverton wrote:
Hello All!

Given the current cattle-car, skinflint conditions, two hour check-ins
and waits including security, etc. I wonder how long a journey people
would undertake by train if fast European or Japanese style trains were
available (say, 400 kph)? I would think that Washington DC to San
Francisco might be a bit far. The journey would take about 10 hours as
the unstopping crow flies but more likely 15 with a few stops and as the
track is laid.

I don't like to get up early in the morning but, allowing time to drive
to the airport, get thro' security, fly on a plane leaving at noon *and
drive a rental car to my hotel or other destination, I have to allocate
most of a day (certainly at least 12 hours) to get to San Francisco.
I've never been able to sleep on planes so "red eyes" are really that!

Fifteen years ago I traveled around Europe on rail pass and had a great
time. The TGV from Nice to Paris was about 8 hours, going the top speed
for only part of the trip. There are a lot of advantages to train over
there. It is a very popular mode of transport because they have more
frequent service and the passenger trains service so many more towns,
unlike train travel here in Canada which is infrequent and services only
the main corridors.

Most European train stations are located downtown and there are lots of
good hotels and restaurants close to the station. You don't have to be
there for hours before your departure, and even if you have to wait
there are usually good and affordable restaurants in the station
Airports OTOH, are generally way out of city so you have spend the extra
money and time to get there and to be there at least an hour before
departure time to check in and go through security. *When I went to
Europe back in June I was advised to be there three hours before
departure.-

European trains and public transportation are supported by huge tax
subsidies. Also Europe as a whole are smaller geographically than
either the US or Canada. So the two cannot be compared.